Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1887-11-23
RETARDING SETTLEMENT.

RETARDING SETTLEMENT.
The War and Interior DEPARTMENTS at
Washington are said, by a special in the
Pioneer Press, to be engrossed with the
problem Of how to dispose OF the Montana
Indians so as TO avoid trouble like that re-
Gently created by the Crows. An officer
who was located for thirteen years on thu
Northwestern frontier, much OF the time
at Fort Assina boine, has given the oecre-
tary OF War the benefit OF his experience
and his knowledge of the friendships anr
entnities existing between the bands on tn
Blackfeet Reservation and their hereditary
enemies across the border. His advice cul
inmates in the suggestion thatthe Grosven
tres and ~assinaboines. who are friendly t."
each other, should be removed to the Grow"
Reservation, while the Blac&feet and Pie
gaus, also friendly to each other but mimi
cal to the other two, should be transferred
to the Flarhea Reservation. The object
OF r. moving the Indians from the 81 'ck
feet Reservation is to take tn maway from
proximity to The Cree. and Bio Ids whoar'
said to be constantly raiding baca an
forth with the Indians at present on thu
Blackfeet Reservation, while the object
OF sending part to the FIathea'
aud rart t. the Grow Reservation is t.
keep AZ, .titary eoemies AS far apart as
pos.t bic. Much of the suggestions made b..
the officer in question are OF the sterrotyped
kind of %1apdoodle, about having schools
near the Indians and teaching" them th.
beauties of civilization under the present
reservation 8! stem.
If the War and Interior Departments arr
filling themselves up on thisk kind OF wind
the sooner the people of Montana realize
this fact and enter a vigorous protest
against any such action the better. The
mountain range which divides the contin-
emit separates Monta"a into two portions,
but the interests of both are identical, that
which is a setback to Eastern Montana il
a detriment to the dwellers of the West
Side.
The Crow Reservation as it exists now il
an obstacle III the way of the development
OF one of the most fertile sections OF the
Territ.,ry. When the reservation was
placed there thirty years ago there was no
ohj-rtinn to it. There was no settlement
that it could interfere with. But ciIcum
stances have altered the case
very materially in the last few years.
The fertility OF the Yellowstone Valley is
being proved by hundreds OF ranchers who
occupy it. But for the Crow Reservation
there would be as mary more IA are there
now. The Crows nave been all this time
under Indian agents and though furthe,
advanced than the Blackfeet Indians in thu
humans aiIth. p.rt =e.ehn.u-- e-Aui .kIrAL.>,
by every other tribe. The Crows are none
too civilized. Their presence is a retarda-
ton upon settlement Of the valley as it is
Can it be credited, then, that the Interior
Department seriously contemplates i'm
porting more savages into as fair Il portio,
OF Montana as any OF the rest? The i'm.
ported Indians would be constantly at va
lance with the Crows, and instead of tn.
reservation being freed from raids, there
would be co slant birkering and quarrel.
ling between the Crows and thei,
new neighbors. But even wert
the resultant effect of the import
alton OF the Grosventres and Assinaboines
to the Grow Reservation a peace MS calm At
a New England Sabbath so far as they were
conc >rned. there would be just as much
temptation for the Bloods and Gees acros.
tie anadian boundary to come down o.
marrying expediti., ms az ever. They, a.
much as the Indians on the Blackfeet Reser
walton. are the thieves OF horses belongin. |
to the Crows, which they come and steal il
bands and drive back across the bnundar,
'Iifting' the stock Of white settlers betwge,
the YELLOWSTONE and the Missouri on the, |
way and wantonly killing cattle.
Such a proposition as the removal OF |
any tribe to the Crow Reservation must b, |
resisted most s~trenuously. It will retarc
the development Of one of the finest sec.
tions OF Montana indefinitely. 1t practi.
cally places u barrier between Montana
and the northern section OF Wyoming.
which, being cut off by inaccessible noun
tains from southern Wyoming. is natural.
tributary to the towns along the line of tn,
Pacific from Billings west.
The true solution OF the trouble from
on the Crows is not to be found i,
more savases there. 1t is to b.,
found in breaking up the tribal system en-
flreiy. 1t Is to be attained by throwing tn
open to settlement and sepa
rating the Indians by giving them lands.
not in a bunch all together, but where the,
Will be scattered among the white settler.
Then their horses wou d not rove in band
l temptation to the Northern Indians, :,
constant raids. Then the Grow.
themselves would, il they ever can, cult;
ate the acts of peace with some show O
uccess. Then there would be no excuse TO,
.ther Indians to visit them and hold pow.
VOWS calculated to awaken another Sword. .
'earer to dreams OF savage indepen ienct ,,
rom white control. Then there would b. u
% chance for dishonest agents to farm GU, e
razing privileges ON the Crow Reservation >
Or their private benefit. D
The BIackfeet Reservation is not fit fo, v
sricultural settlement; the Crow Reserva. c
ION ia. Let the tribes now on the Black. q
Reservation remain there, and let tn.
roops be given occupation in seeing that
ley make no more southern raids. Blu, V
q no account remove any OF them t, :
outhern Montana, where they would only "
in barbarian a section that ans y
Il OF sustaining a large and prosperou. l
'pulation that would add to the wealt, "
the Territory. =